


Ghost Rose Society

by ThatOneGreyGhost



Category: Sherlock - Fandom
Genre: I don't quite know what this is but I hope you like it, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:34:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27718253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOneGreyGhost/pseuds/ThatOneGreyGhost
Summary: This may or may not be chapter 1? I want to see what kind of reaction it gets. if you want more let me know





	Ghost Rose Society

Jackie didn't want to be here.

Very few of them still kept the old ways. The old families, the ones that were left, had been gathered at this dance hall. All of them here, waiting.

Well, almost all of them, She thought as she strode towards the ballroom, her head held high. The few gentlemen that populated the hallway gawked at her, boorish stares tracing her every step. She hadn't been invited, of course. They'd do anything to keep her out. But they couldn't just expel her from the Society, not without proper reason.

She passed by a mirror and stopped to check her reflection. She had to look impeccable for this meeting. Her long brown hair was perfect, her caramel skin shining in the light, and her grey heeled boots weren't the least bit dirty. her long black skirt fell within the dress code(the lights in her room had died so she hadn't been sure), and her ruffled white blouse was crisp and spotless. She took off her black leather trench coat, but left her hat, a black velvet top hat with a single white rose tucked into the band. A Ghost Rose, she mused.

Satisfied with her appearance, she tented her hands against the double oak doors and pushed them inward, sweeping into the ballroom as the occupants looked up. These men were elite, untouchable, and the last of their ranks. Many lines had died out because of their stubborn natures, and Jackie suspected that she was the first of her kind. She hoped there would be more eventually.

All conversation had stopped when she had entered the room, and she felt a cold smile tug at her lips.

"Well, don't stop on my account, gentlemen. Please, continue!" She waved her hand as if to dismiss them from the ballroom, which had been filled up with tables and chairs. Jackie noted that there were waitstaff running about, saw them with carts and trays, meaning dinner was taken care of. She realized now she had forgotten to eat before she left. as she sat down at her table, some drunken fool uttered a less than flattering phrase about her, earning him a laugh from the men at the bar. Jackie ignored him, and gradually chatter resumed.

She spent the better part of the evening writing in her notebook, going so far as to ignore the mouth watering salmon plate that was set delicately before her shortly after she sat down. She was proud of her notebook; she was a diligent member of The Watch, and the handmade leather bound notebook had been a gift from her father, the thick parchment pages soaking up ink as she wrote. She picked at her dinner, more engaged with the stories she'd taken down than the fresh caught salmon.

Some time passed before her half eaten dinner was removed from her sight by the waitstaff; shortly after that, she looked at her watch and was shocked to see that it read nearly eight. The lights in the hall were up, and the stage in the very front was dressed for a speaker. She noticed that more members were coming in, and removed her hat, continuing to write until Elliot Reeves stood and smashed his knife into the side of his champagne glass a good three times too many. It did, however, serve its purpose, as the room quieted shortly after.

"My fellow gentlem- Er, Ghosts." Elliot stuttered as he locked eyes with Jackie, shock crossing his face. She raised an eyebrow as if to test him, but he recovered masterfully. "My felloe Ghosts, we are gathered tonight to confide in truly terrible news".

Jackie fought the urge to slouch. She had forgotten Elliot's love of drama, and was sorely unamused by his little theatrics. Unfortunately, Elliot saw that, and made a good point of carrying on simply to annoy her.

'Men won’t treat you like their equal, Jackie.' Her father's words echoed in her mind, and she saw in her mind's eye the image of him in his wheelchair, battered from years of battle against the same evil they were gathered to discuss. 'They will refuse to look you in the eye, and you must therefore carry yourself to a level higher than theirs, so that to not look you in the eye is to defer to you. You must use their egos against them'.

"Get on with it and tell us what you've called us in for!" Carl Roth shouts from somewhere to her left, drawing her out of her memories. Several murmurs of agreement follow, and Elliot pause dramatically. Jackie wants to hit him across the face with her chair, but his next words make her blood run cold.

"H' has returned".

There is a sputtering gasp as some lone gentleman chokes on his drink, but it is the only sound as the rest of the room falls into sobering silence. H? Returned? Surely they succeeded in destroying his last iteration? This had to have been a poorly thought out joke on Elliot's part.

"That's impossible!" Reginald Sinclair barks from the very back of the room. "We eliminated him! I was there when we destroyed his last iteration three decades ago!" That remark sends waves of protest throughout the room. Many of the men stand forcefully, angered by the implications of Elliot's words.

"It is not impossible." Elliot spoke a little louder than necessary in order to calm the hall. "And we were foolish to think him gone for good. He learns from every encounter".

"Well, Sparks was the one what killed 'im last!" Leopold Kent barks, jerking his thumb in the direction of Richard Sparks. Richard narrows his eyes at the man, insulted. The purebreds of the Society didn't like Leopold any more than they liked Jackie. "I says let his line pick up their own mess!"

"Now, wait just one minute. At least I remembered to take out his eyes, you dirty son of a mongrel!" Richard stands sharply, slamming both his hands on the table.

Arguing fills the room, and Jackie notices she has a headache as Elliot tries desperately to calm everyone down. Suddenly, a sharp "Excuse me!" rings out. Everyone turns towards the source of the noise.

The young blond fidgeted with his cuffs, and while he adhered to the dress code, rose and all, his face was unfamiliar to Jackie. Which was surprising, because no one new was coming of age and the Society did not induct new families. At least not that she was aware of.

"If I may, I haven't the faintest clue what you are all talking about, or why I'm here." The young man was quite attractive, Jackie noticed, but he looked haunted, and she suspected that he had been abroad when he had come of age. The Society was know to reach out to children who's families had been cut off, trying to return some of it's prestige.

"Who the bleeding hell are you?" Leopold spat loudly. Several voices chimed in to agree.

"My name is Johnathan, Johnathan Watson. But most call me John." The young man stood a little straighter, hands tucked behind his back. Jackie's attention snapped back to him as he said that. A Watson? There hadn't been a Watson in the Society since H's 15th iteration, since the betrayal. Traitors is what they were, traitors and thieves. Jackie was surprised the poor boy had even made it in the door.

"A Watson?" Leopold sneered, and for once Jackie was inclined to agree with him. "You've a lot of nerve, showing your face 'round 'ere!"

"I'm sorry, have I done something to offend you? I'm rather new to all this, you see, and-" the boy was cut off as Leopold grabbed his collar, sneering. It struck Jackie that he truly did look confused. Was it possible he truly didn't know? Jackie stood as the hall grew rowdier, preparing to defend him until his story could be heard.

"That's enough!" Elliot boomed, and the hall was instantly silenced. Jackie sat, quickly. If this turned badly, no one must know what she had been prepared to do. It was a moment of weakness, she wasn't going to defend a traitor. Still, what he was doing here was a mystery that would intrigue her until his purpose was revealed.

"You must forgive them, my dear boy." Elliot's voice dripped with condescending tones, and Jackie felt bile rise in her throat. Elliot took much pride out of making a show of people, and she suspected the poor boy didn't know any better. "We've had a poor past with your line, and we should take much care to not make such a mistake again".

"I don't think I mind, but could anyone tell me what on earth I'm here for? I should very much like to know what's going on." Watson sat down, now very aware of all the eyes on him.

"Of course, dear boy!" Elliot smiled, and it was a false smile, the smile of liars. "I'm not surprised you line hasn't told you. We..." Elliot swept his hands outward, gesturing to the room, "Are the Ghost Rose Society, dedicated to protecting humanity from... less than pleasant truths".

Murmurs of agreement escaped the crowd, and Watson nodded to show he understood, though it was painfully obvious he didn't.

"Some time ago, what we call the first iteration, one of our ranks came to the false conclusion that we would be far more effective if we allied ourselves with some of these forces. This idea was promptly dismissed by the Society; these forces are far to powerful, far too dangerous, for any mortal to tamper with".

Watson nodded again, though the look on his face betrayed that he wasn't sure what he was getting into. Jackie knew how it would sound to an outsider; it sounded like a cult, and in a sense, it was. But he wasn't running yet, so that worked in his favor.

"Well, not a week had passed before it was discovered that the bastard had gone and done it anyway, and he was now far too powerful to be left alive. Corruption would follow, if it hadn't already, and he, being our most brilliant, that could not be allowed".

Jackie squinted maliciously at the stage. Elliot would ignore the successes of her line simply to spite her. He was a petty fool, and she cleared her throat loudly, getting his attention. He glanced at her, then lowered his gaze. Coward.

"So, he was disposed of, but whatever deal he struck between himself and the deep power allowed him to transcend into another body. if he dies naturally, he will be reborn. If he is killed, he will be reborn. We have determined that the only way to completely destroy him is to destroy the source of the contract, his eyes, before burning his body with salt, thus banishing his soul. do you understand me so far?"

"Isn't all this a bit, er, supernatural?" Watson rubs the back of his neck, clearly overwhelmed. Elliot smiles, and occurs to Jackie that he wants Watson to run. That makes her angry; This boy might be an excellent ally, and at the very least acceptable bait. Why would he bother to draw him in if he only meant to kick him out?

"I understand if its a bit much, but please, give me the benefit of the doubt. There is a reason you don't encounter these forces in everyday life".

Watson took a deep breath, then nodded. Elliot clearly hadn't been expecting that, and Jackie giggled as he floundered in his acting.

"If that's all you need to kill him, why do you suppose you've had so much trouble?" Watson asks, fidgeting with his cuffs again. Perhaps it was a nervous habit, Jackie mused.

"I did mention he was the smartest of our ranks?" Elliot hums happily. Watson nods again, breaking his cufflink in the process.

"And how do I tie into all this?" Watson asks shyly. Jackie felt sorry for the poor boy, she truly did.

"Well, about the 15th iteration, an idea was put forth to have one of our ranks gain H's trust and spy on him. We sent forth your namesake, and he unfortunately because so taken with the abomination's idea that he betrayed us in favor of helping the beast complete his works. As I'm sure you've noticed, you are the only one of your line here tonight. Your family cut off contact with us nearly two centuries ago, and it's caused quite a lot of animosity, as I'm sure you've noticed".

"Oh." Watson said quietly as he sat down, picking at his shirt cuffs. They were quite frayed, and Jackie suspected that this was not a new habit.\

"So, we must gather our finest to defeat the monster. Or lines are much diminished, and our very reality itself may be at stake. We cannot afford any mistakes, and must-" Elliot's dreadfully annoying speech was cut off by the even more annoying sound of arguing. Jackie stood, her patience gone.

"IF I MAY HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!" She said loudly. All eyes turned to look at her, and she caught Watson staring at her. When she gave him a small smile, he gasped and looked away quickly. "I have completed my training, and would like to suggest my line for a retrial. We have the best rates of capture, and I will not hesitate to kill the monster".

"You're a girl!" Leopold roared. "Little girls play with dolls, not knives. Go home and finish sewing your pretty dresses!"

Jackie would have said something if Watson hadn't.

"Oh, now that's hardly appropriate! Women can do anything boys can, and more at that. When's the last time you saw a man give birth?"

Jackie was shocked that he would make himself so many enemies simply for her sake, but she did appreciate the gesture. Leopold simply huffed and sat down angrily.

"It is true, your line has the best rate of success. And I suppose it would be disrespectful to your father's memory not to at least vote." Elliot muttered, unaware that the whole room could hear what he was saying. "Very well! We'll vote on it. All in favor?"

A small amount of hands went up, including Watson's. Richard, her father's best friend, huffed angrily as he stood. 

"For the love of God, if you'll not do it for her, at least do it for the sake of her father!"

Several hands went up at that. People would not dare to disrespect her father, not even in death. All raised hands were counted. and it was just barely a majority.

"Very well, Ms. Jackie." Elliot refused to use her family name out of spite. "You'll have your hand in it".

assignments were given out, but all Jackie cared about was planning. H's tendencies were well documented, and she wanted to get as early a start as possible. Eventually the hall was dismissed, and Jackie gather her things and stalked from the room. She had very few allies, and this was going to be difficult.

As Jackie left the dance hall, she was bombarded by the sudden smell of rain. She swore under her breath, then rushed forward to try and get a taxi. She was pointedly ignored, and she spent a good five minutes trying to hail someone new. By the time she realized she was going to have to walk, she was soaked. She turned and nearly ran into someone.

"You'll catch cold, standing in the rain like that." Watson smiled shyly as he held the umbrella over her head, but his eyes are sad, sparkling like broken glass in the sunlight. Jackie wasn't sure why she noticed that, but she felt irritated by the fact that she did.

"I'm afraid I'm indestructible." Jackie quips sarcastically, earning a snort of laughter from Watson. She's shocked that he finds that funny, but it feels nice to have someone laugh at her jokes.

"So, you're going to kill him?" Watson sounds scared, like he still doesn't know what he believes on the subject.

"We have to. He's too powerful to put on prison, and even if we could, he makes a living solving murders. He'd be able to outsmart us".

"He what? Is he police or something?"

"Private investigator. He does well by it, but tends to get himself hired out as a civilian consultant for Scotland Yard. I think he finds it more entertaining".

"He got a proper name?" Watson asks.

"Not one I'll use. Whatever name he used to have, that person's not in there anymore. Names have power, and he's got enough".

"Then why bother calling him anything?"

"Because this thing we're doing, to him it's a game, and we'll get farther playing by his rules than by ours." Jackie huffs impatiently. "It's like playing in a casino; the house often wins, but if you're caught cheating, it won't do you any good".

There was silence, and then a cab pulled up. Jackie got in, paid the base fee, and was about to shut the door when Watson asked her something.

"Pardon?" Jackie asks, having missed his question entirely.

"I asked what your name was?"

Jackie stepped out of the cab and put forth her hand, smiling warmly at the young man she'd rather taken a liking to.

"I'm sorry, we never were properly introduced. Jacklyn Moriarty, Professor of Criminal Forensics at Oxford College. Perhaps we can get to know each other better over coffee?"

END CHAPTER 1


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